envelope
[ en-vuh-lohp, ahn- ]
/ ˈɛn vəˌloʊp, ˈɑn- /
noun
Idioms for envelope
push the envelope,
to stretch established limits, as in technological advance or social innovation.
Also
envelop.
Origin of envelope
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH envelope
envelop envelopeWords nearby envelope
enunciation,
enure,
enuresis,
env.,
envelop,
envelope,
envelope chemise,
envelopment,
envenom,
envenomation,
enver pasha
British Dictionary definitions for push the envelope
envelope
/ (ˈɛnvəˌləʊp, ˈɒn-) /
noun
Word Origin for envelope
C18: from French
enveloppe, from
envelopper to wrap around; see
envelop; sense 8 from aeronautics jargon, referring to graphs of aircraft performance
Medical definitions for push the envelope
envelope
[ ĕn′və-lōp′, ŏn′- ]
n.
An enclosing structure or cover, such as a membrane or the outer coat of a virus.
Idioms and Phrases with push the envelope
push the envelope
Exceed the limits of what is normally done, be innovative, as in They are pushing the envelope in using only new fabrics for winter clothing. This idiom comes from aviation, the envelope alluding to the technical limits of a plane's performance, which, on a graph, appear as a rising slope as limits of speed and stress are approached and falls off when the capacity is exceeded and the pilot loses control; safety lies within these limits, or envelope, and exceeding them exposes pilot and plane to risk. [Slang; late 1960s]